Eating ugali in Kigali

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Hellos and Goodbyes

It’s been a while. This post is a short update on the last 8 months that provides some context and scene setting for the recommencement of the isthistoospicy blog.

Colombo May 2014 (notice the new port to the far left, and demolition of Slave Island in the mid-right)

In May 2014, after a year-long ride, we hopped off the roller coaster that is living in Sri Lanka. We finally managed to get our visa sorted after much bureaucratic delay (delay being that whenever we went to the relevant government department to get an update on our visa progress people were either reading the paper or fast asleep at their desk not even feigning an attempt to look busy) and were free to leave the country and head back to Australia.

The year was a wonderful experience. We learnt a great deal about ourselves, each other, and of the rich cultural, ethnic, and political mosaic that is Sri Lanka. We also got to witness Sri Lanka change during this time, a change that ultimately culminated in the ousting of the current President through a peaceful democratic process in January 2015. A change that the people of Sri Lanka deserve after years of heartbreak and trauma, a change that hopefully brings true reconciliation to the country rather than prolonging the division, and a change that moves the country forward united and proud of its distinct cultures and traditions.

Colombo on our final night

Living in a place vastly different to that which is familiar provides you with an opportunity to experience an alternate approach to your own existence. It offers an additional reference point from which to consider the human condition, to challenge your values and attitudes on how to live your life and how you believe a life should be lived. It also affords an opportunity to experience the continuity of humanity, that regardless of the cultural, political, ethnic or social dynamics, systems or structures that exist, people are people, some good some not so good, but wherever you go there is an underlying commonality that unites far more than it divides.

Acumen Global Fellows 2015

In the early part of 2014 Ramya was awarded a prestigious fellowship at Acumen Fund (a social impact investing firm in the US) which meant she would be in New York for three months before being based in Rwanda for 9 months where she will be working for a coffee company.

Back in Melbourne

Between May and December last year we planned a Sydney wedding whilst I was in Melbourne and Ramya was in New York. We got married!! It was a three day extravaganza of colour, laughter and love, and the best day of our lives (so far) and then we moved to Rwanda (Ramya trailblazing 3 weeks in advance of my arrival).

Wedding!

Thali tied

Offerings

Just Married

Speeches

Dancing

So that’s the recap on the reasons for the blogging hiatus, so now we can get back into documenting our next adventure in Rwanda, the land of 1000 hills.